New Frisch’s Big Boy boss: ‘We’re not going to re-engineer the tartar sauce’

Frisch’s Big Boy has tapped a restaurant and startup veteran as its next CEO, the iconic local diner chain announced Friday.

James Walker, 54,  brings more than 30 years of restaurant senior restaurant management experience to his new job, including previous roles at Nathan’s Famous, Subway, Johnny Rockets and Baja Fresh. Most recently he was CEO of a New York-based grocery startup BUYK.

Speaking to The Enquirer, Walker admitted inflation and the lingering COVID-19 pandemic mean a choppy environment for the restaurant industry, but stressed he wants Frisch’s to play to its strengths – and customer favorites.

“We’re not going to re-engineer the tartar sauce,” Walker said. “I haven’t been brought in to look at spreadsheets and manage costs. This is about growth.”

Walker said he plans to keep Frisch’s iconic menu items, but indicated he’s looking to expand it with items core customers have expressed interest in and that might attract new ones.

Frisch’s CEO James Walker

Born in Wisconsin, Walker grew up in Florida after his father moved there for work. He first ate at Frisch’s during several family road trips growing up as his parents visited relatives back in Wisconsin.

“(Frisch’s) hot fudge cake just takes me back to being young,” Walker said.

Walker is the first CEO of Frisch’s since predecessor Jason Vaughn left in May 2021.  Tony Vasconcellos then served as president and chief financial officer, but left the company three months ago.

Last year, Frisch’s said it is “undergoing a reorganization” as it tries to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic after closing more than half a dozen stores in 2020.

A beloved 75-year old chain that has struggled to grow, Frisch’s was acquired by an Atlanta private equity firm, NRD Capital, in 2015 for $175 million. The company operates more than 100 restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

In the years after the takeover, Frisch’s modernized (and slimmed down) the iconic Big Boy mascot and updated the look of restaurants with a more open design. The company also reversed a 2013 switch from Coke to Pepsi products.

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“Fewer and fewer restaurant brands today have the kind of legacy that Frisch’s Big Boy has. The people of Cincinnati and surrounding areas have an emotional connection with this brand,” Walker said in a statement.

The Frisch’s Big Boy on Plainfield Rd. in Blue Ash.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who’s in charge of Frisch’s Big Boy